Guitar support



Jan. 30, 1934. p RASMUSSEN 1,945,162

GUITAR SUPPORT Filed NOV. 25, 1931 lm'enlor PeierlZcwzzzussezz;

Allorney Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES GUITAR SUPPORT PeterRasmussen, Fresno, Calif.

Application November 23, 1931 Serial No. 576,793

12' Claims.

This invention relates to and has for an object the provision of asupporting device adapted to be detachably held on a guitar or otherstringed instrument, and including a rest adjustably mounted forengagement with the limb of a player, whereby the instrument may beheldby the player at a convenient angle.

Another object is to provide means whereby the adjustable rest may befoldable so as to be extended to operative position andretracted againstthe edge of the instrument to inoperative position so that theinstrument may be readily placed in a carrying case.

Other objects include the provision of means for adjustably anddetaohabiy holding the support on the instrument and for adjustablysupporting the rest at selected positions.

Still other objects may appear as the description progresses.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown a preferred form of myinvention, subject to modifications within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit thereof. In said drawing,

Fig. l is a plan view of my improved supporting device detached from theinstrument.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device attached to an instrument foruse showing the manner in which the angle of the instrument isaccommodated to the convenience of a player.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a guitar with the supportingdevice attached to the periphery thereof.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation partly in section of the supportingdevice attached to an instrument for use and means for adjustablyholdi'nig the device on the instrument.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the supporting device on.line- 5-5- of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the device attached' to an instrument.

Briefly described, my improvements include a flexible strap 1 adapted tobe d'etachably supported on a portion of' the periphery 2 of a guitar orother stringed instrument 3, a rest 4 adjust able on the strap 1, and anattaching device 5- for holding the strap 1 on the periphery 2 of theinstrument 3'.

' The strap 1 is preferably, though not: n eces-- sari] y, formed ofleather or other flexible material, as at 6, with a lining '7 of softermaterial such as shammy skin aflixed to the lower side of the strap bycement, glue or other suitable adhesive material. The strap 1 is appliedto the instrument 3 by providing in one end thereof a bayonet slot 8adapted to hook over a button 9 which is usually provided on the bottomand in the center of the instrument 3. The opposite end of the strap isattached to the instrument 3- by means of the clamp 5 which includes apair of telescoping members 10 and 11 adjustably connected by means of ascrew 12 which is threaded into an end 13 of the outer memberl'O- andalso thru a lip 14 on the inner member 11.

Members 10 and 11 are provided with extended attaching portions 15 and16 respectively which are bent at right angles to the bodies of saidmembers and are adapted to overlie the bottom and top respectively ofthe instrument 3.

The attaching portions 15 and 16 are provided with pads 17 of cork orother suitable material on their inner side for engagement with thebottom and top surfaces of the instrument 3 so as to prevent injury tothe finish of the instrument. The portions 15 and 16 are of spring-likematerial so that when the screw 12 is tightened the members 10 and 11will be moved relative to each other to an extent sui'ficient to clampthe portions 15 and 16 on the instrument 3 and hold the same byfriction.

The member 10 has a tubular body 18 into which the fiat member 11 andthe screw 12 project so the member 11 and said screw are enclosed by thetubular portion 18. The side of the member 10- adjacent the instrumentis provided with a fiat portion 19 having a pair of transversely spaced.and alined teats 20, 20 extended therefrom for selective engagement withcorrespondingly formed apertures 21, 21 formed in the upper end of thestrap 1 and divided into two rows longitudinally alined on oppositesides of the strap, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus the strap 1 is firmly butdetachably supported on the instrument 3 by means of the button 9 andthe clamping device 5.

The rest 4 is adjustably positioned on the strap intermediate the endsthereof and consists of an inner member 22, an outer member 23, and apivoted rest or arm 24 supported on saidouter member. The member 22 isslidably held between the strap 6 and the lining 7 and comprises anelongated plate 25 having studs 26, 26 extended therefrom near itsopposite ends and slidable in an elongated slot 27 which is formed inthe strap 1.

The outer member 23 has an. elongated plate 28 forming a body andoutwardly and downwardly bent portions 29, 29 etc. formed at itsopposite ends which overlie the outer side and the edges of the strap,as shown. The member 23 is preferably formed of a single piece ofmaterial with end portions 28 and 28' and portions 29, 29 etc. which areextended outwardly and downwardly over the edges of strap 1 to guide themovement of the rest 4 thereover. The portions 28 and 28' are reinforcedby a member 30 which is riveted at its opposite ends to said portions at31' and 31' respectively.

The studs 26, 26 extend thru apertures in the plates 28 and 28' and theextended portions thereof are provided with cap nuts 32, 32 whereby whenthe rest 4 is adjusted to a proper position on the strap 1 said nuts maybe tightened and will thus serve to hold the rest in a selected positlonon the strap.

The member 30 has a central loop 33 which, together with babbitt or likematerial 30 supported on the connecting portions of the member 23between the portions 28 and 28 thereof, forms a. bearing for a hingescrew 34 on which the rest 24 is pivotally supported. Said rest hasfurcatlons 35, 35 which straddle the member 30 and thru which the screw34 is extended.

The member 24 has an elongated and outwardly curved rest arm 36 with arecess 37 formed in the bottom thereof for detachably supporting aresilient pad 38 of rubber or the like. The portion 28 of member 23 hasa pair of lugs 39, 39 bent upwardly therefrom opposite the furcations35, 35 of member 24 so as to form stops for said member 24 against whichthe rest is held in operative position on the limb of a player, as shownin Fig. 2. Thus the rest 24 may be extended outwardly to operativeposition, as shown in Fig. 3 or folded inwardly against the strap 1, asshown in Fig. 5, at will.

In operation the device is attached to the instrument 3 as shown inFigs. 2 and 3 by hooking the lower end of the strap over the button 9 onthe instrument, then stretching the strap tightly against the periphery2 of the instrument and adjusting the clamp 5 to proper position on theupper end of the strap, and finally tightening the screw 12 of the clampso that the teats 20 of the clamp will engage the selected perforations21 of the strap. The clamp 5 thus being immovably positioned on theinstrument and the strap 1 being immovably secured to the clamp, thesupporting device will be properly positioned on the instrument for use.

The rest 4 is then adjusted on the strap by loosening the nuts 32, 32and sliding the rest into proper position on the strap for holding theinstrument 3 at an angle convenient to the player when the rest 4 issupported on the limb of the player, as shown in Fig. 2. Thereupon thenuts 32 may be tightened and the rest will be positioned to a givenplayer, but the same may be again adjusted at the convenience and tosuit another person at will.

When the instrument is not in use the arm 24 of the rest may be foldedinwardly against the member 23, as shown in Fig. 5, and in such positionmay be readily placed in a suitable carrying case.

The provision of the shammy lining 7 on the strap 1 and the pads 17 onthe clamping portions 15 and 16 prevent damage to the finish of theinstrument, and the provision of the resilient pad 38 on the rest arm 36provides a cushion for providing comfort to the player when the rest armis supported on the lap or limb of a player.

Extending upwardly from the member 1]. and secured thereto by screws orotherwise, is a bracket 40 provided with holes 41 wher ...y the usualfinger rest (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3) may be attached.

The conventional bracket for supporting a finger rest may be used at 42.

What I claim is:

1. A support for stringed musical instruments comprising a flexiblestrap provided with means near its opposite extremities for detachablysecuring the strap to the periphery of an instrument body, and afoldable rest secured to said strap for engagement with a portion of thebody of a player to hold the body of the instrument at a playing angle.

2. A support for stringed musical instruments as characterized in claim1, including means for limiting the outward movement of said rest at anoperative angle relative to the instrument.

3. A support for stringed musical instruments as characterized in claim1, including means for adjustably supporting said rest to permit theextension thereof at an angle relative to the instrument and theretraction thereof to a position substantially parallel with theperiphery of the instrument body to inoperative position.

4. A support for stringed musical instruments as characterized in claim1, including means for adjusting said rest longitudinally of said strapto vary the playing angle of the instrument.

5. A support for stringed musical instruments comprising a flexiblestrap, means for detachably securing opposite portions of said strap toand in contact with the periphery of an instrument body, and a restmounted on and foldable against and extensible outwardly from said strapfor engagement with a portion of the body of a player, for supportingthe instrument at a playing angle.

6. A support for stringed musical instruments as characterized in claim5, including a supporting member slidable on said strap and means forfoldably supporting said rest on said member to permit its extension tooperative position and its retraction to inoperative position at will.

7. A support for stringed musical instruments as characterized in claim5, including a clamp slidable on said strap for foldably supporting saidrest to permit its extension to operative position and its retraction toinoperative position at will. and means for hingedly supporting saidrest on said clamp so as to hold the instrument at a playing angle.

8. A support for stringed musical instruments comprising a flexiblestrap, means for non-adjustably securing one extremity of said strap tothe periphery of the body of an instrument, means for adjustablysecuring an opposite extremity of the strap to the periphery of theinstrument body, and a rest supported on said strap for engagement withthe body of a player to support the instrument at a playing angle.

9. A support for stringed musical instruments comprising a flexiblestrap, means for non-adjustably securing one extremity of said strap tothe periphery of an instrument body, means for adjustably securing anopposite extremity of the strap to a portion of the periphery of theinstrument body, said adjustable securing means including a clamp havingrelatively adjustable members, means for holding said members inselected positions on the strap, and commonly adjustable portionsengageable with and for frictionally holding said strap in position onthe instrument.

10. A support for stringed musical instruments as characterized in claim8, including means for foldably supporting said rest on said strap, foradjustment to and from operative positions.

11. A support for stringed musical instruments as characterized in claim8, including means for longitudinally adjusting said rest to selectedpositions on said strap.

12. A support for stringed musical instruments characterized in claim 8,including means for longitudinally adjusting said rest to selectedpositions on said strap, and means for locking said rest in adjustedpositions.

PETER RASMUSSEN.

Bil

